‘Folly, Folly Christmas’

The latest attempt by the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) to ease the concerns of water-deprived consumers in northern and eastern parishes has backfired, with residents now angrier than ever.

The BWA issued a press release yesterday advising residents in St Peter, St Andrew, St John and St Joseph that “as a precautionary measure” it would reactivate some of the community tanks to ensure the availability of water “in the event that any unforeseen service disruptions occur over the Christmas holiday”.

However, some Boscobel, St Peter customers saw the announcement as disrespectful and an insult to their intelligence.

“How could it be an unforeseen occurrence when we in Boscobel have no water at the moment? If the water was on now then by Christmas something happens [that causes it to go off] then you could talk about unforeseen. These people need to stop treating people as if they stupid. I am big man, these people need to talk to me as if I got understanding too, just come out and tell the people that they not getting any [running] water this Christmas,” Javon Scantlebury said.

Residents also told Barbados TODAY reserved tanks have been drained for cleaning by the BWA for the last five days but have remained empty. In addition, they complained bitterly that the BWA trucks have visited only once this week, which is far from adequate for the numerous household chores which are part of the traditional Barbadian Christmas preparations.

Barbados TODAY reported last week that the people of Boscobel, St Peter were facing the prospects of a third Christmas without running water.

In an email to this newspaper this morning, a furious Shaney Forde from Boscobel, which straddles St Peter and St Andrew, described the situation as “simply ridiculous” and said it would not be a jolly Christmas for consumers.

“This is a repeat of last year and no baking, no smell of fresh laundry, no preparation is being done because of this [water outage].

“[It is] simply ridiculous and shaping up to be a folly, folly Christmas,” Forde wrote.

However, BWA Corporate Communications Specialist Joy-Ann Haigh is insisting that the proposed measures were simply contingencies designed to minimize disruptions.

Joy-Ann Haigh

“All we are saying is that we are going to try our best to put some plans in place in the event that there is some break in the system, a stop failure in equipment. This is to help to mitigate [in that eventuality]. If nothing happens then the water would still be there in the tanks and the tankers would still be there to ensure that everybody is still ok,” Haigh said.

“Re-activate”??!!…we didn’t even know that they had been (very quietly) de-activated. This thing is one huge (and very bad joke in very poor taste) joke. Trubble is, the joke is being perpetrated by folks who draw their full salary & wages regularly, on tax-payers who just suffer, and suffer, and suffer, and collect water where-ever, when-ever and how-ever, just to get through another grinding day….all the while until Bumbling Gorilliphants deign to put out anuthuh Press Release.

Well, to be a li’l Christian-charitable at this time of year …they bin fighting fires down on the Southern front.

On the bright-side, Minster of Fifty Million rea$on$ to celebrate…said she ‘s proud, satisfied…that it was all a huge sucess…and evahting went so well.

She stupid? How ya mean if something happens? There is already NO water coming from the taps,stupess….. These ppl either stupid or wicked or both……..or they feel we gotta tek what we get & be grateful. …….all these million of dollars them just justify spending on celebrating “independence”-& can’t get simple things right….the only service we getting regularly from the water authority is a bill service. Smh….

Joy Ann you really love your job? Being a paid pop it ,how do feel at night after these people made you tell so much lies to John public? It’s the holidays and people need water for everything to make the holidays more bearable, whole year was rough…

I just hoping ours here in Orangehill and it environs stays on but just in case using the water caught to watch and clean and refilling containers with “fresh” water just in case since they turn off waters on Sundays

Water technology around the world is so easy ,but bajans politicians care so much for Bajans to import dirty water which could carry diseases and germs …
The Canadians offered a 40 millions plant but that cant work in Barbados , because thats too honest and on the level, the Canadians is some of the world honest business people…so long our politicians is involve we are in trouble……

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